A VISIT TO SPRING GROVE FARM

Leslie K. Lusk

| July/August 1971

Rt. 1, Baldwinsville, New York 13027

Cruising down Route No. 90 on East side of Cayuga Lake thru
Union Springs you come to Levanna and the home of Mr. Charles
Hitchcock, located in a fine grove of black walnut trees. On
entering the grounds you can see a column of black smoke and steam
which means only one thing there is an old steam traction engine in
operation.

There are several of them here in operation. First you see a big
Frick driving a Westinghouse thresher threshing wheat, harvested
the year before and doing a nice job. The straw will later be
baled.

Next in line is a shingle machine, built by Mr. Hitchcock. This
is self-propelled, but at present is being run by a steam engine oh
yes, this is a Frick engine.

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Here comes a team of horses drawing a load of kids riding around
the grounds. They are having a great time.

Going a bit farther on is a stone crusher making little stones
out of big ones, which are used on the farm roads.

Retracing our steps, we see a Case boiler beside a small
building housing an antique stone Burr mill which is grinding whole
wheat flour which is in great demand. It makes great muffins and
brown bread which you old timers can remember.

I must not forget the peak of the show is a team of horses on a
homemade horsepower, going round and round driving the buzz saw.
This was also built by Mr. Hitchcock.

At a nearby place they are shearing sheep and tying up the wool
for shipment.

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Last but not the least is a small building in which the three
Hitchcock girls are doling out soft drinks, hot dogs and hamburgers
all cooked on an antique cook stove using wood for fuel.

There is quite a collection of other old farm machinery
including an old upright hay press, which you old timers know as a
jump press, driven by a team of horses.

There are old gas engines and gas tractors and of course a saw
mill, a clover huller (thresher), a bean thresher, a corn husker
and shredder.

Here is a unique traction engine made by Mr. Hitchcock. The
boiler and engine was retrieved from a creamery and mounted on a
truck chassis. It really gets around.

This is a real demonstration of old time farming.

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These folks have had a lot of hard luck and must be given a lot
of credit for the type of show they put on to show the old way of
farming.

More power to you, Mr. Hitchcock and Family of Spring Grove Farm
at Levanna, N. Y.

A picture of Mr. Hitchcock's engine was in the July-August
1967 Iron-Men Album, page 9.